Improvement in car-couplimgs



UNITED STATES rrroa HALF HISRIGHT TO GPtUV'EIt AUTOMATIC OAR-OOUPLING COMPANY, OF

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

i IMPROVEMENT nv CAR-communes.

Specicaiion forming part of Letters PatentNo. IQGLLGQ, dated June 22, 1875; application filed Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gar-Ooup ling, ot' which the following 4is a specitication:

The present invention has reference to that class of car-coupling devices in which hooked self-couplin g bars are employed; and it has for its object to provide means whereby the coupling-bars are permitted to move laterally when coupled, so as to avoid a rigid connect-ion, and to permit said coupling-bars to move in unison with the motions of the cars, but not to such an extent as will cause the uncoupling or disconnection of the same.

The invention consists in the combination. with a hooked coupling-bar pivoted at its rear end within a draw-head, of a connecting rod or link, which extends through the side wall of the draw-head, and is provided with a slot at its outer end, through which passes a pin on the lower end of a vertical coupling-lever.

The slotted link, which serves as a connection between the coupling-bar and uncouplin glever, will permit the coupling-bar ot' each ear to move independently of the lever to such an extent as will enable the coupling-bars to have the requisite lateral play to conform with the motions of the car. The lever is prevented from moving with the coupling-bars by mean-s of a suitable locking device, generally a pin' or pawl and ratchet. The uncoupling operation is ei'ected by first unlocking the lever, when it can be moved to disconnect the hooks of the coupling-bars.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a front elevation of my improved coupling. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a modification of my invention.

In the drawing, letter A denotes a draw-head of the usual construction, and B is a conplin gbar, turning at its rear end upon a vertical pivot-pin, a; The forward end ot the bar B is provided with or wrought into a laterally-projecting-hook, C, which is designed to engage with a correspondingly-shaped hook ofthe coupling-bar of an opposite car. The coupling operation is performed automatically, the

heads or hooks of the bars gliding readily past each other when the cars collide, so as to cause the shoulders of the hooks to engage with each other, when they are held closed or in contactl by slnil'lg-pressure. A rod or link, D, is connected with the forward portion ot' the coupling-bar, and passes out through an opening made in the side wall of the drawhead. The outer end of said rod or link is provided with a slot, E, and is connected with the lower end ot' a vertical lever, F, by means ot' a pin, G, passing through said slot and carried by the lever. The lever is pivoted to the platform or body of the car at a short distance above its lower end, and its upper end extends into a position where it is within convenient reach of the operator or brakeman. The slotted connectionv between the coupling hook and lever will .enable the former to move independently of the latter, which motion is requisite and desirable to permit the coupling-bars to move or play sufficiently ina lateral direction without danger of nncouplin-g. The extent ot' the motion of the coupling-bar is defined by the length of the slot in the connecting-link. The lever is locked after the completion of the coupling operation by means of a suitable locking device, which may either be a detachable pin, b, passing through the lever and entering the platform, or a ratchet or segmental rack and pawl or dog, or any other preferred lockingdevice. The lever being locked, it follows that the couplin g-bars cannot move sufficiently to be disconnected and yet have the requisite or needed lateral play. The lever, when unlocked, can be moved sidewise to such a degree as will effect the uncoupling operation by the separation of the hooked bars. rIhis result or action of the lever is due to the fact that the pin at its lower end strikes the end of the slot in the connecting-link. A rod or stem, I, connected with the coupling-bar at or nea-r its center7 exten ds through the wall ot' the draw-head, and terminates in a chamber or hollow boss, J, formed on the draw-head or attached thereto. The outer end of the stem, or that portion within the chamber, is encircled by a spiral or coiled spring, K, which tends to exert the proper outward pressure or. pull upon the coupling-bar for holding it engaged with the coupling-bar of an opposite draw-head. A nut or stop, b', is applied to the end of the stein for retaining the spring thereon.

As a modification of the slotted link above described it is proposed to use instead an arm, L, which is jointed to the coupling-bar and loosely suspended at its other end by a chain, M, from a weighted pulley, N. The uncoupling-lever is, in this instance, connected with the coupling-bar by means of chain O, but its pin G is retained. Ihe arm L, instead of being slotted, is provided with a long notch, P, in its lower edge, into which notch is received the pin of the lever when the arm L is lowered. When the parts are in this position the coupling-bar is free to inove the saine as if the slotted link were employed, and the uncoupling operation is also effected by moving the lever in the proper direction. The arm L is designed to be raised when thecoupling operation is to take place, so as to free it from the lever, and

consequently the coupling-bars, as they spring laterally, will notmove the lever. The object of this operation is to prevent the uncouplinglever from being thrown to the side in the performance of the coupling operation-a result liable to be attended with injury to life or limb.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination, with a hooked couplingbar and an uncoupling-lever constructed to be locked in position when the' couplings are coupled, of a slotted or notched link or arm connect-ed with the coupling-bar and the said lever, and constructed to limit the lateral play of the coupling-bar in either direction, as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

J. B. STAMOUR. Witnesses:

A. H. NoRRIs,

Jos. L. OooMBs. 

